American Shorthair

		American Shorthair
		Translation Francis Vandersteen
		Origin The American Shorthair is a cat breed originating in the United States.


This medium-sized cat is characterized by its hardy type.

A brief historical overview

This breed is a direct descendant of the alley cats brought back by European settlers to protect grain stocks from rodents. The first cats arrived in America as early as the 16th century, and have been abundant on farms since the early 18th century. A natural breed, these cats were selected for their ability to capture mice, rats and other rodents, as well as their resistance to American climatic conditions. Chance marriages with imported breeds (Persians and Siamese, for example) may have occurred over the years.
Cat breeding began in the late 19th century in the United States. As early as 1900, American Shorthair breeding began, as Americans wanted to preserve the morphological type of their alley cats. To improve the breed's physique, crosses were made with the British Shorthair. In 1904, the Cat Fanciers' Association registered Buster Brown as the first American Shorthair. The first litter was registered the same year, from a British Shorthair/American Shorthair cross. The breed is now called Domestic Shorthair and accepts many individuals, giving it a large gene pool. As with the European Shorthair, the breed suffered for many years from its resemblance to the alley cat. In 1966, it was finally recognized under the name American Shorthair. Its populations grew from year to year, until it became one of the most popular breeds in the USA and Canada.
Europe had a hard time accepting the breed, and some associations still refuse to recognize it, which explains the rarity of the breed on the continent. In the United States, it is very widespread, and is one of the 10 most common breeds.
The breed is also very popular in Japan.

Behavior / characteristics

Christiane Sacase describes the American Shorthair as a lively, active cat, built to live outdoors, but also adaptable to apartment living. It is sociable, loyal and tender with its owner. The LOOF describes the American Shorthair as a well-balanced cat, sociable with other cats and fond of children. Dr. Bruce Fogle, on the other hand, describes the breed as calm, not very talkative and relaxed.
The American Shorthair is said to be affectionate, moderately active and emotional, but not aggressive. They are said to be patient with children and to accept the presence of a dog. However, these character traits are entirely individual and depend on the history of each cat.

Health

The American Shorthair is described as a cat of solid health, requiring very little care. Dr. Bruce Fogle attributes this robust health to the breed standard, which aims to avoid "any trait that might encourage weakness". Neutered cats have a tendency to obesity, so food intake needs to be monitored.

Head
Cranial region
Head		Medium-sized in relation to the body, the head, seen from the front, fits into a square.
Skull		Viewed from the side, the skull is rounded and the bridge of the nose marks a softened stop.

Facial region
Nose		The nose is moderately short and of equal width along its entire length.
Muzzle		Characteristic of the breed, the muzzle, while not extremely short, is well defined and square.
Jaws and teeth		The jaw is strong and powerful.
Cheeks		Full cheeks give a soft, open expression.
Eyes		Medium to large in size, rounded and set at a slight angle. Bright, luminous color should be uniform.
Ears		Medium-sized, not too open at the base. Slightly rounded at the tip, they are set wide apart.

Neck

An important element in the cat's overall balance, the neck is of medium length and muscular.

Body
Generality		Semi-cobby in shape, the body is rectangular and powerfully built. Strong bones.
Back		Straight, broad back.
Chest		Open chest.

Tail

Thick at the base and of medium length, tapering slightly to a rounded tip.

Limbs

Strongly boned and muscular, the legs are of medium length and run parallel to each other.
Forequarters
Shoulders		Shoulders and hips of equal width, slightly rounded.

Hindquarters

Feet

The feet are round, with consistent pads.

Coat
Coat and texture		Short and even, the coat is dense and glossy.

Size and weight
Height at withers		Male height at withers: between 23 and 25 cm. Female height at withers: between 22 and 24 cm.
Weight		Average adult male weight: between 3.5 and 7 kg. Average adult female weight: between 3.5 and 7 kg.

Penalties

Ears long, pointed or too close together.

Thick neck.

Tail too thin, too short or whip-like.

Long or fluffy coat.

Any imbalance between one part of the body and the others.

Refusal of any title

White patches in non-particolored cats.

Appearance too close to Exotic Shorthair (e g long, mossy coat, pronounced stop, bulging eyes, etc).

Pinched nostrils.

Straight profile.

Too elegant.

General faults and defects eliminatory in show.

Authorized marriages

American Shorthair x American Shorthair

American Shorthair x American Wirehair

Details: Also available:; Last Updated: 14 July 2024; Hits: 925

American Shorthair